Rolling in the green stuff

Charl Schwartzel has led an impressive start to the New Year for South Africa’s world tour campaigners.

Schwartzel’s back-to-back victories in the Africa and Joburg Opens have lifted him to a career high 35th on the world rankings, put him on top of the Race to Dubai standings and almost certainly won him a third appearance in the Nedbank Challenge at Sun City.

He now stands to get an invitation to the U.S. Masters and he has gone through the €5-million mark in career earnings on the European Tour.

Staggering to think that the pencil-slim golfer from Maccauvlei in Vereeniging is still only 25.

Schwartzel’s impressive six shot win in the Joburg Open, which followed his victory in the Africa Open in East London, took his season’s earnings to €488,850, more than double that amassed by Pablo Martin of Spain, who lies second with €190,950 following his triumph in the season opener - the Alfred Dunhill Championship.

Schwartzel in his previous two appearances in the Nedbank in 2006 and 2007 – both earned by topping the Sunshine Tour order of merit in which he now as an almost unassailable lead – was ranked at 76th and 83rd respectively and has set himself the goal this year to be eligible for “Africa’s Major” in 2011* by dint of his world ranking. (*Denmark’s Anders Hansen having taken the 2010 spot for being the leading man on the 2009 Sunshine Tour).

In the United States Retief Goosen’s radical move to a belly putter and a reverse grip has paid off as he has claimed two top 10 finishes in his first two starts to move to 6th on the money list with earnings of $472, 333.

Rory Sabbatini, with a second place in the Mercedes in Hawaii has done even better to be in 3rd place on $668, 100 while Ernie Els, who seems to be on much better schedule this year, made a promising start in the Sony and after just one event is already at 30th spot with $111, 375.

An interesting battle to watch for the year is going to be the world ranking where Els and Goosen will deuce it out for the distinction of being the top South African on the list.

After the Sony they switched positions – Goosen going from 19th to 17th and Els the other way as they strive to get back into the Top 10.

Schwartzel is now the third-ranked South African at 35 with Sabbatini (44), James Kingston (84), Louis Oosthuizen (90) and Richard Sterne (100) the other “Saffers” in the top 100.

Trevor Immelman, for whom nothing has gone right since winning the Masters in 2008, is said to be over his injuries and faces long climb back from No. 144.